土砂降りの田んぼ
アメリカウズラシギの田んぼに到着するや土砂降りに見舞われました…。
見える範囲の田んぼにはツバメチドリやアカアシシギ、ヒバリシギといった沖縄らしいシギ、チドリがいるほか、セイタカシギやコアオアシシギ、タカブシギ、ハマシギ、タシギなどが休憩中。
クロハラアジサシは石垣島のあちこちの田んぼや牧草地でヒワヒワと飛んでいる姿を目にします。
アカハラダカの渡りが終わり、サシバの姿が見え出した石垣島は、秋の渡りも終わりに近づき鳥の入れ替わりが激しいです。田んぼで観察しているだけで色々な野鳥がやってきたり飛び去ったりしているのが確認できます。
Oriental Pratincole — the southward passage has passed its peak and sightings have become scarce. One bird came down into a rice paddy in the pouring rain.
Black-winged Stilt, juvenile plumage transitioning to first-winter. Juveniles are increasing on Ishigaki Island in the latter part of the autumn migration.
Common Redshank, juvenile. Moulting into first-winter plumage.
Long-toed Stint, adult winter plumage.
I thought this was a Long-toed Stint adult in late summer plumage, but it appears to be a worn juvenile. Long-toed Stints in adult winter, adult summer, and juvenile plumages are all present together.
Wood Sandpiper. Moulting into first-winter plumage.
Common Snipe, juvenile. Pin-tailed Snipe and Swinhoe's Snipe numbers have dropped off, and most birds now are Common Snipe.
Dunlin, juvenile plumage transitioning to first-winter. On Ishigaki Island, it is almost exclusively juveniles that arrive. I haven't seen an adult this season.
Common Redshank, juvenile. Moulting into first-winter plumage.
Marsh Sandpiper, juvenile plumage transitioning to first-winter. Right? Hard to tell with the rain-soaked feathers. ^^;
Black-bellied Tern, adult. Summer plumage to winter plumage. Oriental Pratincoles move through in concentrated waves, but Black-bellied Terns keep trickling through.
